Letter: Destroying land that is ‘best of the best’

Wednesday

“High-grade cropland gives way to urban growth in Iowa.” This headline on the front page of the Ames Tribune on Dec. 1 summarizes urban expansion over our state’s best farmland.

Iowa farmland is about the very best land in the world for growing food crops. It is being covered over at an alarming rate. Ames recently annexed farmland for an “industrial park” east of Interstate 35. Concrete and buildings will cover over farmland that is ranked as some of the 90 percent plus best land for growing food crops in the state of Iowa.

Ames is destroying “the best of the best” land. What are we doing? I am reminded of the 19th Century Cree Indian saying: “Only when the last tree has died And the last river been poisoned And the last fish been caught Will we realize that we cannot eat money.”

Martha Ann Atkins, Ames

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